Comatose
by TinyAnglerFish
Summary: Curiosity has always been something that has plagued Link. And when his curiosity takes him into the past, he finds out something that unleashes a series heartbreaking events. Link/Sheik
1. Chapter 1

**Comatose**

**Disclaimer: **Paperclipluver owns nothing of Legend of Zelda. She only has the games.

Well, guys, here it goes. A non-AU (hallelujah) one-shot for Link and Sheik.  
It's kinda a Link/Sheik fic, but at the same time more friendshippy. Of course, I could easily make this into a two-chapter one-shot with more Link/Sheik-ness, but...

You tell me; if you think the end suffices or if it needs a sequal. o,o  
Anyways, please review! Even if you hate it!

Link's POV

* * *

The fire temple had been a harsh one. When I had first exited the fiery cavern of Death Mountain, I hadn't thought much of my injuries at all. They felt the same as when I had fought Gohma. That thought died in a fire (no pun intended) when Sheik approached me and insisted on me resting for at least three days.

As it turns out, I had more cuts and lacerations than I could imagine from within my tunic. And a possible reason I couldn't feel the full extent of the pain was because they were mostly deep into the skin that had been burned by Volvagia's whip-like hair. The dragon had torn up my skin along with my tunic, which Sheik was fixing now as I attempted to sleep in his bed.

That's right, the great survivor of the Sheikah was sitting across the room on a small stool he had propped up against the wall, and was trying to sew my red tunic back together.

My mouth quirked into a smile. That was something I had never expected to see. When I smiled, a scar near my mouth started to itch so I tried to scratch it. But I should have realized, from my experiences in the Forest Temple, that Keese bites were more painful than they seemed. I hissed and pulled my hand away from the bite quickly. I swore to myself that if there were any damn Keese in the Water Temple, I would shoot them down in the most painful way possible.

Sheik hadn't even looked up when I hissed. He was far too busy concentrating on making every small stitch he made perfectly aligned. I could see from the way his one visible eye squinted that he was really into what he was doing. But the golden hair that hung in front of his left eye was blocking his view; it was becoming a hindrance. I could tell.

So I chuckled to myself and shifted in bed. "Maybe if you pinned your hair back it would be easier."

He looked up at me sharply with his eyes narrowed. But I could see the red burn in his ears; embarrassed to be caught in this situation. He thought I had been sleeping.

"You should be sleeping, Hero."

I scoffed. "I'm in too much pain to sleep." If I tried to sleep on my back, the burns there made my insides twist in agony. If I tried to sleep on either of my sides, the cuts from the flame dancers and Volvagia burned as if they were starting to bleed again. And if I tried to sleep on my stomach, not only could I not breathe, but most of the burns I had gotten from the final battle were there. The pillow hurt against the Keese bites.

I carefully sat up in bed, making sure not to irritate any of the burns on my back. I didn't want any of the bandages to ride up either. Cold air on burns just didn't feel right.

"I'm bored," I whined. I had lost seven years of my life, I was allowed to act childish once in a while to make up for it.

But I received no response from him.

He just kept sewing. Except now his back was turned more towards me, the burn in his ears still visible. Who knew he would get so embarrassed. You'd think that after pretty much seeing me stark naked, checking for wounds and injuries, he would be a little more comfortable around me. But he was still awkward. Distant. Maybe it was because we knew nothing about each other.

"Where'd you learn how to sew?"

His shoulders tensed for a moment before he went back to sewing the tunic. A major sign for me to stop asking questions about him sewing.

But I was still curious. Maybe he had learned how to when he was little. A Sheikah child in the Hyrule Castle taught to sew by one of the handmaids. It made sense.

"Lady Impa taught me."

The late response caught me by surprise so my mouth gaped open a little. His response actually answered two questions of mine. I now knew who taught him how to sew and when. I remember when I was really small, before all this chaos piled into my lap and I was still living with the Kokiri. I remember looking for Saria all over the place; in her house, in the lost woods. Not even the skullkids knew where she was. I forget why I wanted to see her so bad that one time, but I did. So when I passed by the twins' house and heard a sharp little "ow!" I was startled, to hear Saria's voice, and ran in. The twin girls, who were a bit older than the rest of us, were trying to teach her how to sew.

They giggled together and gave Saria a small piece of cloth to put over her finger. I remember blinking, so confused, when Saria gave me an angry look.

_"Link! You weren't supposed to find me!" _I could tell she wasn't really angry; Saria could never be truly angry at anyone. But she hiding something green behind her back. _"Go away!"_

So I did. And it took her so long to finally reveal what she had been doing. It had taken her so long, maybe a little less than a year, so learn how to sew perfectly so she could give me the green cap I always wore.

Sheik must have learned when he was a child as well. From the way he was stitching the tunic together with such precision, I knew he had known how to do this for a while. But that got me started on the thought of, how was Sheik as a child? How was he when he was ten years old? Had he been as strict as he was now, when it came to Sheikah tradition? Or was he able to live his life like a child, only to be taught those traditions when he was older.

I chuckled again, which caught his attention. He turned back to me, with the red tunic and needle in his lap. "What is it, Hero, that could be distracting you so much from your sleeping and boredom?" Oh, he was mocking me.

"I was just thinking," I chuckled again. "About you as a kid."

His expression didn't falter, so I figured it wasn't a bad subject to talk about.

"But I think I may be sorely wrong. So, Sheik, correct me. How were you as a kid?" I crooked my neck to the side and made a quick scratched to the same Keese bite that had been bothering me before. Unfortunately, it still hurt.

"Stop touching that." He paused for a second, his crimson eyes lingering about the room. "My childhood is irrelevant, Hero."

I cleared my throat and looked to where the Master Sword was hanging with my shield. "Of course it is. In the off chance that I travel back in time, and I go looking for you," I looked at him for emphasis. The look in his eyes still hadn't changed. Emotionless pools of deep red. "I want to know what I'm getting myself into. If you were the same as you are now. Or is you were a crazy little kid."

His expression finally changed as his eyes narrowed. "It is _irrelevant_, Hero." He hissed again.

I faltered, my eyebrows twitching from surprise and then concern. I was discovering a whole new bout of emotions from Sheik in this one night. First he was embarrassed, letting himself blush, and now he purely annoyed. Maybe it was a bad subject to talk about. I shouldn't have pushed. But I was still curious dammit. I wasn't satisfied with a glare or a single anwser. Through this journey, I had come to consider this Sheikah, and cold and emotionless as he was, to be my best friend. If he weren't here to help me, I don't know what I would do. So I wanted to keep up with him. I wanted to learn about him, and I wanted him to learn about me.

Of course, he probably knew all he needed to know about me.

I twitched when he rose from his spot on the stool. He abandoned his project, carefully folding the ripped tunic and placing it on the stool with the needle neatly on top. Lithe steps brought him towards me and his tan hands wrapped around my shoulders to push me down into the sheets.

I hissed, squeezing my eyes tight. I noticed Sheik roll his eyes and then he made the movement that told me to sit back up again. He hated wasting time, and by pushing me down, only to bring me back up again, he had done just that.

"I will redress your wounds, Hero. But I want you to sleep. I have to report elsewhere while you do, but I assure you I will be back in the morning." His voice was no longer annoyed, which somehow calmed me down.

But, while he undid the wraps around my chest, I was devising my own little plan. Sheik had said it himself; I held time in my hands as long as I had the Master Sword and the Ocarina of Time. So while Sheik was out, I would simply travel back in time to answer my own question. My plan was foolproof.

* * *

Just like he had said, once he had dressed my burns, he had let me fall back into the covers. Sheik had placed his hands over my eyes and I closed them instinctively, but as soon as he left, and I had heard the dull bang of a deku nut hitting the ground, I was up out of bed again.

I ignored the stiff pain that ran through my body as I shuffled on my clothes quickly. The white undershirt I usually wore seemed to weight three times it's weight tonight and I regretted even putting it on. I couldn't bend over, I noted, so I had to have my leg propped up on Sheik's desk to buckle my boots. This, unfortunately, gained the attention of my other little companion who had been sleeping in the other room.

_"Hey! Link!" _Navi fluttered over to where I was buckling my second boot. _"What are you doing? Sheik said to stay in bed, you're still healing! Hey!"_

I turned to her with the best and most sincere smile on my face. "We're taking a small trip while Sheik's out." Her blue light dulled a bit as she flitted to and from around my head.

_"What do you mean? Link!" _The little fairy questioned on but I chose to ignore her. I grabbed the Master Sword and my sheild, and after securing it against my back and drinking a potion to dull the pain, I pulled out the Ocarina of Time. I winked at her and she gave me a dull sigh. I had won this battle, and there was nothing she could do about it. I was the bigger of the two, after all. I placed the cool instrument to my lips and started humming out the Prelude of Time.

White light surrounded me and I could feel my feet being lifted off the ground.

And in an instant, my surroundings had changed from the dark wood of Sheik's house, so the white stone of the Temple of Time.

_"Hey! Listen! What are you planning, Link? We shouldn't be doing this!" _She continued to shout at me as I walked past the alter that held the three Spiritual Stones. I would go back just before I saved Ruto from Jabu-Jabu. That was my plan.

I stepped into the room where I had originally pulled the Master Sword and after standing behind the hold for a few moments, I gulped down any anxiety and stabbed the Master Sword back into it's holding spot. I didn't know what to expect at first, as I did not remember much from my first time warp. But it was just like warping from temple to temple.

A second white light surrounded me. It circled around me and Navi. And as it did, a smile tugged at my lips. I was really doing this. I would see Sheik when he was little. This was exciting.

The light faded and as I stepped out, I noticed that the Spiritual Stone from the Zoras was still hovering above the alter. It made me question if the time warp had worked or not, but I continued outside.

My vision was engulfed in light. Navi squealed as the sun reached her and she zoomed around my head. It had worked. We were back seven years ago; the trees were green and healthy, the sky was a dazzling blue, and Death Mountain behind us was no longer covered in a hue of smoke. I grinned long and wide. It was nice to be back in this time already. This, just standing outside the temple gave me new hope for when I went back into the future. It would be worth defeating Ganondorf if everything went back to this beautiful state.

But I still had a mission.

I left the temple and clumsily ran into the Castle Town main square. It was almost as if I wasn't used to my little body anymore. That plus, the loss of the weight of the Master Sword pushed me off balance. I ran through the crowd of people, almost bumping into the old man in blue who had first told me about the Sheikah. He patted my shoulder and told me to be careful but I was too excited.

Once I was out of his grip I ran down the road that would bring me to Hyrule Castle.

I followed the path I had done when I first made my way to Hyrule castle. Crawling up the vines in the beginning, I passed the gossip stone up on the ledge and gave it a quick smile. I jumped down from the stone gate and carefully edged my way past the guards. I jumped into the moat quickly, adrenaline rushing through my veins. I was no longer injured, and my energy has returned in gallons. I was quick to move around the gardens until I had finally made it to where Zelda was.

She was still peering into the window, but looked back when she heard me panting heavily.

"Link!"

I was still grinning, and I could feel Impa walk up behind me. I ran to Zelda and skidded to a stop when I was just a few steps in front of her.

"Zelda! Zelda," I had to interupt her as she recited what to do if anyone gave me problems. Yes, play Zelda's Lullaby. I already knew that. "Where's Sheik?"

Her pale eyebrows creased from below her veil. She was taken aback by my sudden question and I could hear Impa's breath hitch from behind me.

"Who?"

It was my turn to crease my eyebrows. Who was she kidding? She had told me herself that Sheikah were bound to the Royal family, so she must have known who Sheik was.

"Don't kid around. I came all the way back in time to see him as a kid. Where's Sheik?" My little voice seemed foreign to me, but that wasn't my main concern. My main problem was how Zelda kept avoiding the question by giving me weird looks and saying she didn't know who Sheik was. I tried to tell her again, that Sheik was a Sheikah. You know, the one you'll send to aid me in the future.

But she continued to give me strange looks as she stepped backwards toward the window.

"I'm sorry Link. I don't know any Sheik," she looked to Impa. "Maybe you should go. Obtain the other Spiritual Stone. And hurry. Impa will lead you out."

My heart sank.

Why was she doing this?

I turned to Impa, asking her the same pleading question with my eyes. Her own eyes creased as she begged me forward with her hand.

Something wasn't right.

They must have known who Sheik was. He couldn't be just some random guy who helped me in the future. It didn't make any sense. Why would some random person know the warp songs and be willing to help the Hero of Time? I walked up to Impa, tears welling up in my child's eyes. I could hear Navi buzzing from within my cap, which just made me more frusterated. And my kid heart wanted me to burst into tears.

But Impa put her hand on my shoulder.

I shook it away. They were lying to me; I didn't want her touching me.

"How do you know about Sheik?" She asked as we headed out of the gardens and down the path to Castle Town.

I stared into her red eyes, my own eyes wide. "I knew it! I knew you two knew about Sheik! Why were you lying to me!?"

Impa shook her head, her white hair sticking to her face. "Princess Zelda was not lying. She does not know the boy named Sheik." She pushed her hair back. "But you still haven't answered my question."

"He's my best friend in the future," I started. "He's been guiding me. Helping me through the temples. I had just defeated the Fire Temple and gotten the medallion from Darunia. I was resting in his house." I wrung my hands together, hoping-- praying that Impa would tell me where he was. It wasn't so much that I wanted to see Sheik as a kid now. It was more, I wanted to know he existed. I wanted to know if the Sheik in the future was just a figment of my imagination. His touch was too real to be fake but...

"I see." Impa looked grim. "I can take you to Sheik, Hero. But only if you're positive that you want to see him." She continued to lead me out of Castle Town until were in Hyrule Field, at the edge of the drawbridge.

I nodded enthusiastically.

Impa frowned, which concerned me. But I didn't have much time to think about if before she put her thumb and index finger into her mouth and whistled sharply.

A large grey horse galloped up to us and we began our way to Kakariko Village.

After Impa had secured her steed in a stable, we started up the path to the village. The air was tense around us and I was becoming more and more anxious. With every step we took up to Kakariko, I could feel the wrong-ness of the situation.

I hadn't even noticed that Impa was taking me to Sheik's house. I was much too distracted by the solemn expression on her face. Sheik's house was and always had been hidden near the graveyard. Impa pulled out her own harp and played a quick song that I recognized as the one Sheik always played to get into his house. A slate of rock moved and the opening to Sheik's house was revealed. We headed down the path, with Impa's hand on my shoulder and suddenly more tears welled up in my eyes.

I couldn't help it. Something just screamed at me that I should never had done this. That what I was about to come upon was something I never wanted to know.

Impa kept her harp out and played the same tune as the one she played at the entrance. After a few seconds, the door opened and there was a little old woman standing at the door. She was a little taller than me in her old age, and her eyes burned red like Impa's.

"Impaz is," Impa faltered. "The oldest Sheikah left alive. Before me and Sheik."

The old woman looked at me curiously but then ushered us inside the house. "It's nice to see you again, Impa." She croaked in a cute old-person voice. She brushed her tanned, wrinkled hands on her apron and shuffled over to a closed door. "I'm afraid there's been no progress though."

Impa nodded. I was so confused. What was going on?

Impa opened the door and let me into the room first.

I could hear my heart pound in my chest. I was in the room I had been in just a few hours ago in the future. The same desk sat in the corner of the room, placed warmly in front of the only window in the room. The shades were drawn up and the sun poured into the room. And there, lying in the bed, was Sheik.

A much smaller version of Sheik.

But I could tell it was him. From beneath the covers, I could see a dark blue shirt, with the Weeping Eye of the Sheikah sewn in bright red fabric. His golden hair was long, longer than in the future because it wasn't wrapped up in the usual bandages. He still had his cowl on, but it was shorter so it only covered his mouth. His chest rose and feel pleasantly and he drew in deep breaths.

My eyes lit up and I was about to bound towards him and engulf him in the biggest hug ever, but Impa grabbed my shoulder roughly.

I looked up at her in dismay, only to be met with her sad eyes. Her lips parted, then closed again, and then opened as she spoke.

"I don't know how things are different in the future, but," she trailed off for a moment, thinking of her words carefully. "This boy. Sheik. He has been in a comatose state since the last raid against the Sheikah."

My smile fell. My shoulder went numb from beneath her touch. What?

"That was two years ago. He was seven and it was an unexpected raid. People came from another border town, and despite hearing that the Sheikah were already extinct, came into Kakariko and raided the town." She walked over to Sheik and stroked his hair back. "At the time, only Impaz, Sheik and his parents were living in the village. They were the last Sheikah besides myself. But I was with Princess Zelda."

I stared and once again my eyes welled up with tears. They threatened to fall from the corners of my eyes and I could feel my throat close up.

"Impaz was Sheik's teacher and she managed to save him, by warping him to the Temple of Time," she paused with her fingers still woven within Sheik's hair. His dormant state not even flinching against the touch. "But his parents were killed. And upon arriving in the Temple of Time, Sheik fell in Impaz's arms and he hasn't woken since."

The tears fell.

She turned to look at me and she tried to give me a reassuring smile. "But, if Sheik is aiding you in the future there is nothing to worry about, is there Hero? He must have woken from his coma during your seven years of sleep."

That was true. But I couldn't help but continue to cry.

Impa walked back over to me and brought me to him. He looked so peaceful lying in bed and I wanted to reach out and touch him, but I resisted.

She kneeled down and wrapped her arms around me. "Why spend your time here, Hero, if you can be with the real Sheik in the future? Spend all your time with him and forget this. When you save Hyrule," she faltered as if she remembered something. "Then you can be with him again. I'm sure he would like that."

I nodded and wiped away my tears, but they still fell stubbornly.

We took a couple steps back and without a word, Impa warped me back to the Temple of Time.

* * *

I promised Impa I would forget what I had seen, but even so, when I got back to find Sheik waiting for me, an angry twitch in his eyebrow, I had to engulf him in a hug. He didn't understand it, why I was holding him so tightly. He didn't remember anything from his past, I realized, so he was like me. But I held him tightly because I didn't want him to fade away.

He still didn't get it.

* * *

I had just received the medallion from Nabooru and I was standing in the Temple of Time.

Anything that had happened between my finishing the Temple and arriving here seemed like a blur.

Especially since Sheik was standing in front of me, a solemn look on his face. His crimson eyes seemed dull as he stood there. His usually bright golden hair seemed to shine less and his tan skin looked pale from nerves. He looked more anxious today. And he looked like he was dreading every moment of this.

I caught the last part of what he was saying.

"...the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all."

It didn't register at first, as he crossed his arms and a piece of the Triforce shone brightly on the back of his hand. I was blinded as a warm light surrounded him and suddenly Sheik no longer stood there, but Princess Zelda.

An older Princess Zelda. She looked stronger, but her eyebrows were still creased in despair as she looked out to me.

"It is I, the Princess of Hyrule. Zelda."

No.

"I apologize for meeting you in disguise, but it was necessary to hide from the King of Evil. Please forgive me..."

No.

My mind was in turmoil.

"That boy you mentioned seven years ago before retrieving the Spiritual Stone from the Water Sage, Ruto," She started. "I was not lying when I said I did not know him. But then, after Impa and I rode past you, and after I gave you the Ocarina of Time, we rode for a while until we had lost the King of Evil. Impa brought me to Kakariko and to Sheik. She and the old Sheikah, Impaz, performed some shadow magic on the comatose body of the boy, and..."

She looked at me, her eyes were begging for forgiveness.

"...his body played host for my spirit until I was safe."

So Sheik...

Zelda nodded, her long blonde hair whipping over her shoulders. "Sheik is still sleeping. He has never woken, just simply animated by magic and by my spirit,"

_Lady Impa taught me._

Of course.

I couldn't listen to the rest of what she said.

I'm surprised I was even able to make it to Ganondorf's castle. I'm surprised I was even able to defeat him. And I'm surprised I didn't collapse in tears when it was all over.

Sheik had never existed.

Well, he did exist, but it was never really him I was with. No, I made sure of it. Before I went to Zelda, I went to Kakariko. I played the tune on my own Ocarina and the rock slate swung open. I ran so fast, some hope in my mind that this was all a lie.

But when I got to Sheik's house, he was still lying in bed. Seven years older, but still lying in that same bed that I had slept in not months ago. His eyes stayed closed as I touched my fingers to his soft skin. I did as Impa did, running my fingers through his hair and I started crying. I had grown attached to the wrong person.

My fingers touched the edge of the cowl that protected Sheik's mouth from sight.

I didn't care if it was disrespectful. I pulled down his cowl. I touched my fingers to his warm lips.

And then I leaned down and kissed him.

My life wasn't a fairytale though. He didn't wake from his slumber because the Prince kissed him. He stayed sleeping, his warm breath hitting my cheek softly.

I would be reckless. If he was real and he existed I could be so.

"I'll come back for you."

* * *

Zelda sent me back in time so I could relive the seven years I had lost.

Everything was beautiful, just as I remembered it.

I met with the younger Zelda again and she told me I could live with the Kokiri until another seven years passed. But in my mind, it really wasn't worth it. I wasn't of the Kokiri anymore; I knew I was Hylian, and it seemed wrong to even think of going back.

I suppose I could have adventured around. But I kept my promise.

I was reckless and I didn't care.

I traveled to Kakariko.

I explained to Impaz what had happened and she agreed to let me live there with her.

Because I would wait.

I would wait for Sheik to come back to me, just I had come back to him.

* * *

Hmm, yes. Second chapter it imminent. This ended way to depressing like.

Edit; fixed some typos. Ow.


	2. Chapter 2

The second half is rewritten

I hope it's better; it ends better; more solidly.

"All the Same" by Sick Puppies; good song for this to a certain extent.

* * *

I can't step on my left leg, or put any pressure on it. Which means I must have slept on it weird. It doesn't surprise me since for most of the time that I've been here, I've slept by Sheik's side on a small armchair. Impaz offered me a bed, and I slept it in at first, but then I just got used to the chair. And eventually, Impaz would start putting out cushions on the floor next to Sheik.

Impaz is really considerate. But it's been little more than six years. I'm sixteen now, Sheik's fifteen, and Impaz is getting old. She's sick, so I have to take care of her too. She's easier to take care of than Sheik, so I don't mind.

But I'm worried about if she passes away. Would it be better for Sheik if it was before or after he woke up, if he wakes up at all? If before, then he has no one besides me; Impa's a sage, she can't be with him anymore. But it would be such a blow to lose someone he loved after such a long period of sleep. Kind of like how I lost Saria. I don't know.

I don't know how I've kept myself busy, now that I think about it. I have side jobs so I can buy food and stuff for Impaz, but other then that, I'm here. With Sheik. It doesn't take much to take care of him either. I have to stick around so he can't choke on his tongue, but he hasn't so far so I think he subconsciously knows better than to. I change his clothes. I give him bathes.

He's so light-weight. I bet he'll be hungry when he wakes up. But for now it's ok, because it's easy to lift him over my shoulders and take him to the basin in the backyard. I see Impaz watching me from her window sometimes, and I think she realizes just how much I care for Sheik.

I take off his clothes, but I leave his thin shorts on; that's the last part I do. I make sure his hair shines when I'm through with it. A couple of times, I've had to cut it because it got so long, but I don't like to mess with the length. I think Sheik looks good with long hair. One day, I think, I'll braid it or something. He'd look so elegant like that, eyes closed, lips flushed and his hair in a braid. I douse his hair in water, making sure no water runs over his face so he wont drown. That would suck. And I wash his face. I follow the contours of his sharp face. Even though he's been sleeping for so long, it really doesn't seem it. His skin is still tan and full of life. He hasn't gained weight, nor does he look weak. And his lips... I stop washing his face there because then I know Impaz is watching.

Everything else is soaped down. I scrub his arms, his chest, I pull his bent legs out of the basin and do those. He's got nice feet and hands. He hasn't been fighting like I have so they're not calloused or rough. I smile and rub my thumb against the palm of his hand. I want to be comforted with that hand, one day. I want it to touch my cheek and for him to tell me that everything's all right now. That would be wonderful.

I'm careful when I remove his shorts. I blush, or course. I don't take much time to do this part of him. It's always embarrassing for me because I keep thinking he'll wake up when I'm in the process. And then I'll be slapped, or killed. Or both. Impaz would have to run out before he could do anything drastic.

But today, he doesn't move.

I dry out his hair and pull it into a small ponytail so it won't keep his back wet. I dry his back and his arms and his chest. I step him out of the basin and prop him over my shoulders again so I can empty it and dry his legs.

I'm hopeful because sometimes he grumbles something incoherent. Only sometimes, usually when he's laying in bed. Sometimes I can vaguely make it out, _Impaz... Impa...mom..._

With his arms wrapped loosely around my neck, I can feel tears well up in my eyes again. This doesn't happen often, I don't cry a lot. But when I can make out what he mumbles, yeah, I cry a little.

I want to comfort this man.

Tears drip down into the small patches of grass.

I want to love this man again.

* * *

I'm off to the market today. It's nice to be outside and talk with the townsfolk in Kakariko. Since Castle Town was rebuilt, there are less people, but then new ones came into Kakariko and I got to meet them all. They're all friendly and nice to me. If I look down, they easily comfort me. With an arm around my shoulder and a ruffle to my hair they walk with me to wherever I go. It's nice.

But today, I'm not down. I don't seem sad. So they wave hello to me and let me walk by my lonesome to the market shops.

Impaz and I made a potato stew yesterday, so we're out of potatoes and meat. Impaz is so happy that I know how to cook my own meals and that I can help her. I lived alone in the forest, so of course I knew how to cook. Sometimes Saria would invite me over for meals, but most of the time it was up to me, or I would starve.

I like to stock up on food. Because, like I said before, when Sheik wakes up, he's bound to be hungry. I don't know how he's surviving right now.

I asked Impaz one time, before I left to get more food, what Sheik's favorite meal was when he was little. She just said he didn't eat a lot. So I figure he'd like whatever I make.

* * *

Ugh. I wake up and my neck hurts.

My visions a little blurry as I look around the room, at the wall in front of me. I must have dozed off while sitting up. I crack my neck and look to the side where Sheik is sleeping.

My heart jumps and my skin prickles.

Sheik has turned his head to face me, long locks of his golden hair swept over his face messily, but I could still see the glimmer of two crimson eyes staring at me. They looked rather groggy and squinted like he had just woken up. And the way his eyebrows were creased gave him that essential 'Sheik is not amused' look.

I blinked a couple times, just staring at the open eyes. I could feel my heart pounding harder and harder in my chest.

He squeezed his eyes shut tight once before looking back into my blue eyes.

"...you...look familiar..."

He drawled, his words messy and drunken sounding, before his eyes closed again.

My mind caught up to the situation and I jumped out of the chair.

NO! I didn't want him to fall asleep again! I grabbed his shoulders roughly, not really thinking about how my actions might affect him. I shook him a little, lightly at first but then a little rougher. "No! Sheik, don't fall back asleep! Stay awake! Sheik!"

He shook me off him, which left me a little dazed, and then just dove further under the covers. His voice came out muffled because of the cowl, and his words still slurred together, but I could understand what he said. "...mm... l'mme sleep five more minutes, stranger."

My heart sank to my feet but I made a mad dash to Impaz's room.

* * *

I'm leaning against the wall of Sheik's room. I can feel my fingers trembling, the sweat slipping down my body, and my heart pounding rapidly in my chest. Impaz is crying softly as she holds Sheik's hand. He was like her son; of course she's going to get emotional after he wakes up from a eight year sleep. He's laughing with his eyes closed; not quite sure what's going on.

He doesn't remember anything besides the raid.

He doesn't remember falling asleep, and he doesn't remember Zelda taking his body.

But for some reason, when he looks past Impaz and at me, his red eyes shine in recognition. Though, that may just be my hopeful imagination. If he doesn't remember Zelda, why would he remember me?

What he said earlier doesn't mean anything. I have a common face, one that's easy to recognize and be mistaken for someone else. Maybe I look like a childhood friend to him…

"I'm going to go make you two some soup!"

My attention snaps to Impaz leaving the room. I can hear her sniffling and her clothes ruffling even as she's out of the room and in the kitchen.

"Take good care of Sheik while I do, Link!" She shouts and I blush. Of course I would. Now that he was awake I wouldn't let anything happen to him again.

Sheik grumbles a little as my weight shifts the bed. I wonder if he had a mind of a seven year old, like I still had a mind of a ten year old when I woke up from my seven years of sleep. I feel like I should be explaining things to him. Bearing my heart and my soul to him. But all I can do it stare as he keeps his eyes closed and his lips curl. His lips are still so flush; he asked Impaz to take off his cowl so he could breathe better. Every time his mouth opens to sigh a little, or to inhale or exhale my heart melts. He's so beautiful, how could this being have ever been asleep for so long?

He looks like he just woke up from a pleasant dream.

"…So you're… Link," He croaked, still with his eyes closed. He flinched when I pushed some of his blonde bangs away from his eyes.

"Yeah. That's me."

"I can't remember where I know you from, Link." I have to admit, I was happy to have him calling me Link instead of 'Hero of Time.' So I smiled and he opened his eyes. "I can't remember where I've seen that smile before."

I'm sure I blushed all the way up to my ears.

"But I remember things I know I shouldn't," He cleared his throat roughly. "They're not my memories, I know that."

I gave him a question look and his hands lifted to grope the air. He gave me a weak look and then his hand grabbed onto my tunic and pulled me down. Next thing I know, I was flush next to Sheik in his bed, only the blanket atop him, separating us. He was still so strong. I was awkwardly pushed on my side so my face was really close to his own. My mouth was right by his ear and he shivered every time I breathed.

"What do you mean?" He shivered again.

Sheik closed his eyes and squinted. He took a deep breath and I remember that the next moment seemed to happen in slow motion.

He seemed to struggle a little, but eventually he got himself to hum. He hummed eight notes. 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 4. His hum came out a little low for the first four and then higher for the next four.

The Bolero of Fire.

What he said next floored me.

"You said it was your favorite."

"_What are you doing, Hero?"_

_Link pulled the Ocarina of Time away from his lips. "Just playing."_

"_The Bolero of Fire? Do you wish to warp to the Fire Temple?"  
_

"_No."_

_Sheik gave the Hero a confused look and Link could only give him the brightest smile ever._

"_I don't know why, but it's my favorite out of the warp songs you've taught me. Haunting yet…"_

"…I don't know." Sheik finished.

I breathed. "You remember the journey, don't you?"

I had leaned over him, so I was straddling him with my arms. If he remembered… that would be so great. I didn't even care how he could remember. I was just so happy in that one moment.

He caught me with his eyes. Gleaming red stared up into my own with a piercing gaze.

"No. Only certain parts. But they're not mine to remember. Not my memories." He stifled a yawn, I frowned, and we did not speak again for the rest of the day.

* * *

I smelled the air. Mmm… whatever Impaz was cooking smelled delicious.

It had been a couple of weeks after Sheik had woken up. He still refused to admitting he remembered the journey, giving me the same excuse that it wasn't his to remember. So, I gave up on that. It was enough that he was walking about and talking. And while my heart ached every time he looked away from my glances, I was happy. My heart ached every time he shied away from my touch, but I was happy.

We had started a garden, since I had stopped working for the time being. We could grow everything so it was wonderful. Usually I hated being cooped up like I was, but I was near Sheik and I could always delve myself into digging fingers into the warm dirt, so it was bearable. As long as I was outside, I could stand it.

As I was now. Impaz called for vegetable to complete whatever she was cooking. And it was about time to pull the underground veggies from their home in the dirt. Carrots, potatoes, and radishes needed to be pulled before they went bad. So that's what I was doing.

I was on my hands and knees, leaning over a fresh bed of vegetables, and the basket by my side was slowly filling up with what I was pulling. I raised my hand to wipe the sweat from my brow, but went back to what I was doing soon enough. It was a nice day, and I would have wanted to stay out here longer, but I knew Impaz would need the vegetable soon. I just had a couple more to pluck.

"My my…"

My breath hitched at the familiar voice but I couldn't help but smile. I didn't look up; I wanted to savor what she said.

"The Hero of Time has become a farmer, has he?"

I resisted the urge to chuck a wad of dirt at her only because I knew that next time I saw her, she would get me back. Besides, her visits had become almost non-existent since Sheik woke up, and I did want to start this visit unpleasantly.

I looked up and our eyes met.

Zelda's eyes shined wistfully as she smiled at me.

She was wearing a flowered sundress that flowed to her knees and her hair was pulled back into two twin pigtails. She looked so cute, but so elegant at the same time. The next urge I had to resist was the one to run up and hold her. But I didn't want to get her dirty with soil.

I pulled off my gloves and dusted the dirt off my shorts.

I didn't hold anything against her for possessing Sheik's body those seven years. It was what she had to do. And the way I thought about it, if she hadn't and she hadn't helped me, Hyrule would be in ruins and there would be no Sheik to pluck vegetables for now.

She dropped her bag at her side and ran up to give me a warm hug. We fell back against the wood stand that was supposed to be used to tie down horses and I hugged her back.

Even if it had seemed that I had fallen in love with her personality with the image as Sheik, I know I had fallen in love with the idea of Sheik. She knew it too, so we rested on the idea of us being best friends. And we were. She was someone I could confide in when she came to visit and our words were always playful.

"How have you been," Zelda asked, her lips curving into a nice smile. She laughed pleasantly when I supported myself on the stand with my forearms, but she kept her hands on my waist. "It's been so long since I've last seen you."

"You rascal," I playfully scolded her, avoiding the question. "You snuck out without a guard again, didn't you?"

She either didn't notice the sudden subject change, or she didn't acknowledge it. She just stuck out her tongue, becoming the young teenager she was supposed to be and not the Queen. I laughed and held her closer.

It was nice to be near someone so warm.

But then the air seemed to freeze as a third voice entered the area.

"Link, Impaz says…"

It trailed off and the way I looked back reminded me of when I was in the Ice Cavern. The air was frigid and I remember not ever wanting to look up at the soft noises that echoed through the cavern. They usually belonged to the monster that roamed within the lair. But this time, there was once difference. The air was still frigid and I didn't want to look back, but not because of the monsters, but because I knew I was getting a miffed expression from Sheik.

He was hanging out of the window and I felt Zelda go rigid against me.

He stared at us for a few moments before his face turned completely red and he continued what he was saying with fake apathy. "Impaz says she needs the carrots now."

Zelda pulled away and gave me a horrified look, which I could only respond to with a side-glance. She moved to go pick up the bag she had dropped and I to get the basket of carrots and potatoes. I would get the radishes later.

* * *

Impaz was simply thrilled to have the Queen of Hyrule sitting at the table that one evening for lunch. Zelda smiled as usual and thanked Impaz for letting her stay for lunch, in which Impaz snorted and replied that it was simply an honor. She did not remember Zelda ever taking over Sheik's body, and I neglected to tell her about that when I first arrived.

But from the way Sheik was eyeing the Queen in scrutiny, I could tell he remembered.

He kept his head low as he ate. His fork digging into whatever Impaz made, I didn't take it to mind to even figure out what it was, pulling out small portions of creamy vegetables. He didn't speak and he didn't look up unless he was addressed.

Which, considering that Zelda and I were both pretty uneasy, wasn't often.

And he hated it. He had finally woken up, and he hated being ignored. He hated the tension in the air, and he hated how Zelda eyed him warily. But most of all, later I would learn, he hated the way I avoided his glare and how I looked at her for comfort. Much like how I hurt when he avoided my glances.

"How lucky, Sheik, you've woken up just in time to see Queen Zelda. She's come to visit before, but her visits to Link became less and less." Impaz chuckled to herself and I noted how Sheik's shoulders tensed.

Zelda smiled. "I'm glad to see you awake, Sheik. I worried for you," she tried to be nice but was only met with another glare. "I tried to be of any help I could when Link needed it." She turned to Impaz. "But recently there's just been so much more paperwork to deal with at the Castle. Without Impa to help me, I'm sort of swamped." She laughed gingerly.

Sheik scooted out of his chair and sat up. "May I be excused?" Impaz gave him an incredulous look but nodded when he held his stomach. He took his plate and rushed out of the awkward room and into his own.

Impaz sighed, "I better go check on him. Excuse me, Queen Zelda." She scooted out of her chair and followed Sheik.

After she left Zelda broke down. Her lips wavered and tears started streaming down her cheeks. "He hates me! Somehow he remembers and he hates me!" I scooted my chair closer so I could hold her.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

She sobbed louder. "What must he think of me?! Even though he was asleep, I stole seven years of his life! And now I just bound upon here as if nothing happened!"

"I don't think that's why he's angry." I tried to console her by repeated what he said. "He just doesn't like knowing things he shouldn't remember. He could never hate you."

"Of course he could!" Her head dove against my shoulder and I had to hold her tightly as she shook.

I didn't know what to say to her.

So, a few minute later, after she had calmed down, I took her outside. I told Impaz I was taking her home, and I did. I pulled out Saria's ocarina and Zelda, the Ocarina of Time, which was nestled snuggly in her bag. Together, we played the Prelude of Time and when we arrived in Castle Town, I walked her back to her home.

I didn't feel like walking, so I played my beloved tune of the Bolero of Fire, making sure to put on the Goron Tunic before I did and warped to the familiar volcanic haven. I began my steady trek down Death Mountain, and cursed every step I took.

* * *

When I arrived back in Sheik's home, Impaz was cleaning up the plates and she said Sheik was already asleep in his room. Her hands were shaking softly as she soaped the plates, so I took it as an excuse to help her out. I knew I was only prolonging the inevitable, but I didn't care. It didn't take much time to wash and dry the dishes either. I washed while Impaz sat in a chair and dried them with a towel. I took my time, putting them back in the cabinets. But when Impaz gave me a sideways glance, I knew I had to go into Sheik's room and confront him.

Impaz had obviously figured out what had happened. As old as she was, she was perceptive. Her talk with Sheik must have given her all the answers she needed. And now she knew that I had to be the one to comfort him because I was the only one who knew what he was going through.

So I took uneasy steps around the hallway and into Sheik's room.

It was dark, but I could see his figure sitting up in his bed. I wasn't sure what he had been looking at, but as soon as I opened the door his gaze drifted to the window. He didn't want to meet my eyes.

"How could you hold her like that?"

I was surprised by the question and didn't answer until I had made it around his bed. I sat down in the stool Zelda had sat in when she mended my tunic and watched him carefully.

"She helped me. She is my best friend, I love her."

He grimaced. "She stole something that did not belong to her, how can you love her?"

My eyebrows quirked. "You can't be mad at her," I explained as calmly as I could. "She did what she had to. It was for the better good."

My statement was followed by a hollow silence. It was tense and it wafted through the air for a good minute or so before Sheik met my eyes. The eyes that I had fallen in love with stared me down, challenging me to question whatever he said next.

"She still stole a chunk out of my life. What if I had had the chance to wake up during those years if she had not been in my body?" His eyebrows narrowed down and his cowl shifted as he pursed his lips angrily. "What about you, Link? She stole sever years from you too."

"But it was necessary," I shot. "You also forget that she sent me back in time, so I relived those seven years _just as you did_. You did not wake up. So that second time around, she did not steal away those years." I neglected to address the fact that even though Zelda had sent me back, I had still lost a good seven years of my innocence; something I don't think I could ever get back. But Sheik looked taken aback by statement. However, he quickly masked his emotions and I was met with a stoic expression again. It was one that I was used to, but I was used to it teaching me, not arguing with me.

"I still have these memories."

"You weren't supposed to remember. Zelda had no part in that."

"How could I _not_ remember?!" He growled at me as his pent up anger finally escaped. His fists gripped around the fabric of his sheets making it scrunch up at odd angles. He leaned forward in bed as if to intimidate me and for a good second I was. I felt my own weight shift backwards on the stool as if we were magnets and as he got closer I pulled away. "Even if it wasn't my mind, my soul, she was living through _my_ eyes! I saw everything! I know what she went through; I know what you went through! And you of all people should know how horrible that is! _You_ should know what it's like to have nightmares about that time; to wake up in a sweat because you just faced certain evil in your dreams!"

I had scooted farther back on the stool as he shouted at me.

"I see you get hurt every night, and there's nothing I can do about it," his voice hushed down to a whisper suddenly. "It's not fair. They're not my memories. Why should I have to relive them?" His grip on the sheets loosened and his head dropped to stare down. His bangs curtained in front of his eyes, but I could see his eyebrows newly creased in distressed angles.

So that's why he was angry. Not only was he forced to submit to Zelda, but he also had to remember what she had seen. I didn't know everything of what Zelda saw while she was in Sheik's body… but I knew it couldn't have been any better than what I was forced to go through. So now… Sheik, finally woken, had to go through the nightmare himself.

He was right. It wasn't fair.

When I had first started living with Impaz, I had the nightmares he was talking about. They were awful. I felt like it was months before the image of Ganon's beast-like face left my dreams and Bongo-Bongo's hands stop squeezing the life out of me. Yes, I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"You followed me… you saw me get hurt?"

"No. _She_ did. Did you think she wouldn't? Link, you are dense if you can't see how much she loves you," I felt a spark of the Sheik I knew before flicker in his words. "She let her emotions blind her and she foolishly followed you into every temple. You should feel the fear that hits whenever she saw you get hurt, the fear that hits my entire body every time I see you hurt in my dreams." He shook his head softly, still looking down at his hands wrapped within the fabric.

He didn't notice me scoot out of the stool and he didn't notice me walk around to the side of the bed. And he most certainly didn't notice me reach over so I could pull him into an embrace. He struggled within my grasp, crying out as he tried to get away. But I held onto him, my fingers kneaded around his back and he cried out again. He lashed out against me until I pushed myself into the crook of his neck and his forehead rested on my shoulder. He stayed there for a good minute before he began to sob into my shoulder.

And as his fingers began to grip around the fabric of my tunic, I continued to hold him. Warm, just like Zelda, but with a certain spark that ran through me as his shoulders shook. I was happy to have this man in my arms again.

* * *

"I think the dreams are going to end soon!"

I turned around swiftly; Sheik almost sounded happy.

It was early morning and I was doing Impaz a favor by hanging up the laundry. The dim shine of the sunrise blurred through the clothes and shined down on the grass. And from a different window, Sheik hung out. I blinked at him a couple times and his eyes crinkled as he smiled from behind his cowl. My cheeks tinged pink; this was the happiest I had seen him in weeks.

I watched him carefully as he opened the window completely. Sheik climbed onto the windowsill carefully and then, with the amazing grace I always knew he had, he carefully flipped over and landed in the grass perfectly. His feet skiffed against the grass for a moment before he ran over to me and knocked me in the stomach. It was a light punch so I just looked at him quizzically.

"She always wanted to ask you why you didn't use a fairy after your fight with Nabooru!" That was stupid! You could have gone into your fight with Kotake and Koume with full strength." He punched me a couple more times.

I honestly hadn't thought it was necessary at the time. Even though they were Ganondorf's mothers, I hadn't thought that two old ladies would have been so strong.

I smiled at him and turned back to hanging up the laundry. He was a little miffed that I had decided to ignore him. Oddly enough, his way of revenge was to help me out. He grabbed the next item of clothing that was on the pile and clipped it to the laundry line.

"I feel useless. You should let me help you with the chores, and spar with me once in a while. Surely your skills are getting to be a little rusty?" He asked me slowly, as if it were a tentative question. "You've been cooped up here for so long…" He tried to explain himself but I just chuckled. He was kind of like a shy little kid. Easily angered and frightened, though I couldn't blame him for being afraid of those dreams. The monsters I faced—that he was facing… awful. Just awful.

"After this. It'll be a good morning workout." I was happy that he wasn't upset with me anymore. Although, he hadn't said anything of Zelda since that night. I didn't know if she planned to visit again.

I love how I could see the small smile quirk in his features. It was very subtle, but the curls of his lips showed vaguely above his cowl. But, of course, when he noticed me staring, the smile faded. That's how it would have happened before. So there was no doubt that I had fallen in love with Sheik's personality, not Zelda's. There was no doubt in my mind.

While I finished clipping up the rest of the laundry, Sheik ran into his house to grab some proper clothes and some weapons. My sword was already outside; I keep it with me as a precaution.

Sheik came out soon after I had finished and my mouth dropped. Earlier, he had been wearing some loose clothes and a scarf that acted as his cowl, but as he stepped outside again, he was clad in the familiar blue exoskeleton suit Zelda wore. A bright blush rode up my cheeks as I watched him. Just as before, he moved languidly in the suit, as if he wasn't wearing it at all and all his steps were natural.

"How nostalgic…" I murmured and he just looked up at me.

"I suppose." He fidgeted with his cowl. "We should go into the back so we don't mess up the garden, right?" I just nodded.

Even though he was a year younger, his body still filled out the suit nicely. It stuck to him like a second skin, covering his every curve and following him as he moved.

He tossled his hair a bit, letting me see that the long locks weren't wrapped up in the turban, and he made his way into the backyard. I grabbed my sword and shield and followed him quickly. I was happy that he had let his hair continue to grow out, instead of cutting it immediately, but I had to wonder how it would affect this spar.

"Hey, Sheik, maybe you should tie up your hair." That was something I thought I would never say. But I just meant to like, pull it into a pony-tail. Not to wrap it up in the turban. He stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"Okay. Can you braid it for me?"

I blushed deeply and somehow managed to nod. He had no idea of how that was a secretive fantasy of mine. His long hair in a braid, it would make him look a little older, but not aged and broken like he was as Zelda. I tentatively walked up to him and he let me run my fingers through his hair. It wasn't as long as Zelda's but it reached halfway down his shoulder blades. His hair was also a different color than hers, it was darker. A bit dirtier and stained with more streaks of brown. But I love it. And I reveled in how the newly risen sun shone off it as I braided it within my fingers.

He stood there with his arm crossed and every so often I would hear him sigh impatiently. When I was unfortunately done, I wrapped the end in a bandage Sheik had handed me, and I let if flop against his back dully.

"Are we ready?" He asked.

"Yes.''

Sheik took a couple steps ahead of me, putting himself at the far end of our backyard and I pulled my blade from its sheath. It wasn't the Master Sword; that was safe in the confines of the Temple of Time, but that was okay. If I was fighting with the Master Sword, it would have been entirely unfair. That blade weld too much power for a simple spar like this. I noted Sheik taking an offensive position as I mused. This blade would do fine; it was a little better than my old Kokiri sword and it handled itself well. I didn't know how Sheik would be fighting either, so too much power would be—holy shit!

My thoughts were abruptly cut off as two thin needles sped by, nicking my cheek.

"Pay attention!" Was shouted at me from the other end of the yard. I blinked slightly as Sheik took his offensive position again; holding his fists up in the air and bending onto his haunches. I nodded sheepishly and took my own position; my shield weighted evenly on my right arm and the blade resting in my left hand. I'll never understand why people thought it was weird that I fought with my left hand. I'm just… left-handed.

I raised my eyebrows. "Ready when you are."

He was ready. A bit rasher than I was used to, Sheik caught me off guard as he sped at me. I was quick enough to hold up the Hylian shield in defense, thought, so he skidded to a halt and then flipped backwards to his original spot. I decided to make the next move. With my blade held high, and with a grunt something short of a battle cry, I ran at the Sheikah. I guess I lost myself for a second, reliving or remembering previous battles and letting instinct kick in.

But Sheik reacted. Was it because he was pretty much reliving the past that he knew how to fight so well already. Because as I ran at him, he whipped out a small dagger and then thin metal was used as to block my blade, as if he had never been asleep. Metal clashed against metal sharply with a wicked sound that echoed throughout the small area. Sheik's feet skidded backwards and he almost lost his balance, but with one huff he pushed himself forward and we braced ourselves against each other. His small blade wavered against my own and his eyebrows suddenly scrunched into a very concentrated expression. His cowl slipped and I could see a bit of his mouth, he was gritting his teeth.

I pushed harder, letting my own feet skid back to give me a bit more power, and I saw his legs starting to shake from beneath him. He would have to jump back, somehow attack me, or I would strike him. He was strong, I knew that, but I also knew the small blade he was handling would soon give into the weight of my own sword.

Sheik knew it too. I completely missed it; my eyes not able to catch up with his speed, but he pulled the dagger back and suddenly the blade of the dagger was pushed up against my jaw, close to my ear. The tip pressed into the curve of my neck dangerously and I tried to lean away from it. Sheik had gotten so close. He was using one of his arm braces to keep blocking my sword; I could see the threads of the fabric starting to stretch. His fist was curled near his face and his legs were spread to give him balance.

I took that to my advantage. I nicked myself on his dagger in the process, but I kicked his foot out from beneath him. In a split second, his eyes visibly widened, the dagger was tossed out of the way, and he started careening the short distance down to the ground.

My eyes widened when I felt something grab onto my shoulder. So if he went down, I was going down with him, was I?

We both collapsed onto the ground, the dirt shifting around us as our bodies hit the floor, and my sword was thrown down with my shield. And then Sheik lunged at me, completely unaffected by the impact. I was lying down on my back, but he straddled me so his legs were hugging around my waist and he held my hands up above my head. His eyes were burning; he was completely into this fight and he couldn't see how my eyes swam with a sudden flash of lust.

We were both running on instinct, despite it all. I tried spreading my legs to break his hold, but Sheik kept his legs tightly around my waist. So I went to my second option and bucked. He was light, so I easily lifted him with my body and then flipped him over so our positions were reversed.

He didn't seem at all affected by my weight on his smaller waist and he lunged at me again. Sheik sat up and threw his arms around me and we were then both on our knees, fighting for dominance in the fight. He rammed his head into my chest, trying to push my off balance and I noticed that his hair was starting to fray out of the bandages.

I gasped loudly as Sheik's legs wrapped around me again. He climbed my like a tree, keeping his arms wrapped around the upper half of my body, and his legs crossed around my back. I subconsciously wondered if I could stand with him on me like this. I cursed then, realizing that his arms were wrapped around my own, rendering them useless.

Sheik hissed under his breath and narrowed his eyes at me as I started trying to pull out of his grasp. My blue eyes wavered as his cowl continued to fall; more of his mouth was starting to come into view. Thin, flush lips peaked out over the edge.

I licked my own lips and tried a little harder. My eyes squinted tight as I tried to stretch out my arm and I started biting my tongue between my teeth. It wasn't happening; I wasn't getting him off me. And this position was starting to get uncomfortable for me.

So, as a last resort, I went back to my subconscious and tried to steady my legs beneath me. Of course, I was on my knees, so it wasn't so easy. I lifted on leg slowly and Sheik's eyes widened as my knee grazed his bum and I grinned. A soft blush rose into his features as I continued to move. I started pulling my other leg up behind me, steadying the ball of my foot on the ground and then I started to push up. Sheik was looking at me like I was crazy. His red eyes were set wide and his eyebrows had risen to his hair line. I just kept his gaze, somehow managing to keep my eyes steady as I stared at him. We were in a staring contest as I kept trying to bring my self to a standing position.

But, it was when he gasped as my body shifted beneath his that my concentration broke. My eyes widened, and even though it seemed impossible, Sheik's eyes widened even more and we began to fall. Sheik held onto me tightly, his hands suddenly gripped onto the fabric of my tunic, as we fell backwards. And even though it was difficult, my lower arms moved so I could hold onto his sides.

We were falling so I would land on him. His back would hit the hard ground and I would be stuck above him.

Sheik coughed, his breath leaving him momentarily, when he hit the ground. He closed his eyes sharply and I felt his legs release their hold on the small of my back. They thudded against the ground and he gasped for breath, his mouth now completely free of the cowl.

My mind suddenly started racing.

He was beneath me, completely in my grasps with his arms wrapped around me. His cheeks were still tinged pink and for a moment he looked a little helpless. Sheik's eyes opened slowly and he stared up at me. Crimson eyes pierced through my azure eyes and I creased my eyebrows uneasily. He had to let go soon, or I don't know what I would do. He just looked so amazing in this one moment; so delicious, and we were so close.

I shook the thoughts from my head quickly. We were just sparring. I got into positions like these all the time when I was fighting with Mido. Ha, but I had never been romantically interested in Mido.

His eyes changed, I noticed. As the sun hued over our fallen bodies, his crimson eyes changed from a serious, 'battle-mode' gaze to a softer look. He looked almost curious as his eyes went from wide to normal and his eyebrows moved back to just perfectly above his eyes. His gaze was very innocent in that one moment and my eyes softened as well.

I could see everything in my eyes that reflected in Sheik's. Everything that I loved, everything that I had ever wanted to say to this man beneath me; it was all in my eyes. My hopes, my dreams, my fears; they all just swam within my eyes, free for everyone to see. I tried to focus in on Sheik's eyes again; to see what I could find within them. But all I could see was a sense of uneasiness, innocence, and contentment wavering within the thin folds of shadows that were cast by the sun in the red.

He was uneasy with our position, just as I was. Despite the dreams that haunted him so, he was still very innocent to the world. And he was very content with his life, with his company. That's what his eyes told me.

And then Sheik tentatively leaned up so his lips could touch mine.

My eyes widened to great proportions. One touch of the lips, barely enough to even be called a touch. It was just a graze, his soft lips against my broken ones; skin torn from the blistering sun and my unhealthy habit of biting my lips. But with that one touch, my heart started pounding within my chest and I felt Sheik tighten his arms around me.

He brought his legs up to a bend and he tried to bring himself closer. I didn't know what to think. Surely, I was happy. No, I was overjoyed. But I couldn't figure out what had made him do this. Was it because he felt something for me too? The heat of the moment? Or pure curiosity? I was thinking too much, and I almost missed the bliss of the moment.

I caught up when Sheik pressed his lips to mine again, a bit harder this time. More than just a graze this time; it was a kiss. His lips moved perfectly into mine, filling the curved and indents as if they were just meant to be there. We were a perfect whole.

Sheik's eyes closed contently as his arms moved up to wrap around my neck and my hands crawled into his hair, which was a lot looser now. He parted his lips slightly, but only a little. It's when I smiled into the kiss that he suddenly took a sharp breath inward.

His arms suddenly flailed away from my body and he twitched to get away from me. My blue eyes widened as he scrambled to get away. He slid out from under me but only got about halfway; his body entirely in a state of panic now and all I could do was stare at him.

What was going on?

After being happy for so long, I could feel my heart start to crumble as I watched Sheik struggle to get away from me. I lifted myself, despite how much it hurt, and he successfully pulled away from me. On all fours, I stared at him as he looked from side to side like a hunted fox. His eyes barely met mine and it stung.

And then he ran, and I was left in the dirt, my heart broken in my hands.

* * *

Even though Sheik had initiated the kiss, he seemed to be avoiding _me._

Thankfully, I found myself distracted enough to ignore the burn in my chest every time he stepped out a room with me in it.

Zelda had dropped by again. This time, she was chatting animatedly about a new discovery in the Gerudo Desert. Something like, the 'Arbiters' Grounds' and a 'Mirror Chamber.' I didn't want to be bothered by it, but I listened to her every word as she talked. Her senses had picked up on a different group of sages and oh lord, Link your face. I'm not going to send you off on another quest, so don't worry.

She smiled coyly and then we both broke out in laughter. She curled back, her hair getting caught between her and the chair, and she laughed with her hands cupped over her mouth. I just leaned over myself, my elbows on my thighs, and my eyes squinted as a deep laughter hollowed out of my throat. It was genuine laughter, and for a moment my chest fell warm with a sense of complete bliss.

We stopped laughing when her bare hand touched my cheek. "Dear Hero, you're paler than normal." She was still smiling, but it dulled down to an awkward quirk. She was playing with me, with the 'Hero' title, but her statement was honest and laced with concern. I hadn't told Zelda what had happened between me and Sheik. I don't think she needed to know. But maybe she would find comfort in the fact that Sheik wasn't mad at her for taking his body.

"I haven't seen Sheik around since I got here," she noted, chewing her lips slightly.

"He's taken to avoiding me," I answered her. We got up and started walking out of the house; this wasn't a conversation for Impaz to hear. She knew that our walking away from the home meant to hold off on the questions just for a second, so she kept quiet as we trailed through Kakariko. Oddly, no one seemed to recognize her as the Queen of Hyrule as we walked through, maybe it was the sundress she was wearing this time. It was a little shorter, but underneath she wore a thin pair of shorts so she could cross her legs. The dress itself was a light pink, like the tone that rises with the sun, and to match, there were small suns littered around near the corners of the dress. There was a group down near the hem and some that rose near her bust.

We climbed up the steps and past the well and to the small ladder that lead to the cliff the windmill was set on. I offered for Zelda to go first, but she just punched my shoulder and called me a pervert for wanting to see up her skirt. I just laughed and started climbing.

The couple that had once danced here after Castle Town was destroyed had since moved back to Castle Town during the seven years. In this time line, actually, I don't think they had ever left. If I went into town, they would probably still be dancing near the centre fountain. But that's where we chose to sit. I sat with my knees hugged to my chest, a insecure position only Zelda would ever see, and she sat with her legs stretched out, one crossed over the other.

She looked in the direction of the sun and then at the cliff that the graveyard hid behind.

"He's been avoiding you, huh?"

"Yup," I answered, my voice small. "He remembers what you saw."

Zelda turned to me sharply, a flabbergasted expression falling into her features. "How is that possible? Everyone besides us were supposed to forget! And Sheik—his mind wasn't there, how could he have known—how could he have anything to remember?!" She sputtered wildly and then held her hands up to cup her cheeks as she stared down at the ground.

"Remember to blink, Zel." She shoved my shoulder and I toppled over. As I pulled myself back up, retreating to my previous position and looking to her through tired eyes, my voice took on a more serious note. "He said that's why he's angry. Not at you, but at the fact that he remembers something that didn't even happen to him. They're false, and he doesn't understand why he sees them. He's feeling your emotions; your fear, your concern, and he doesn't like it."

_Link, you are dense if you can't see how much she loves you._And suddenly it hit me. After hours of pondering why he possibly would have fled so quickly, I realized why. Sheik had been feeling Zelda's emotions, so surely he would have felt _her_ love towards me.

I felt myself frown as I continued to enlighten myself on the situation. Sheik had been acting on those false feelings. He must have, just for that one moment, thought that maybe he wasn't feeling Zelda's feelings but his own. Then, with that kiss—I felt my heart break at this final thought, I didn't realize I was putting words in his mouth—with that kiss, he must have realized that they were really Zelda's dormant feelings. He had no love for me, just a friendly connection. What he had been feeling hadn't been real, and he had figured it out through that one brush of our lips.

I wore my heart on my sleeve, and as Zelda turned to watch me, she caught a full glimpse of it. My eyes, I could just tell by the way she frowned at me, were dull and as sullen as I felt in that moment. She dismissed her previous shock to pull me into her arms. And as if she had read my mind; heard every one of my thoughts, she whispered into my ear.

"You don't know that." My head was pushed onto her shoulder and she started stroking my hair. "He may be remembering everything," I noticed her choke out of guilt. "But, who says he's feeling all that I did?"

"He did."

Zelda pushed my hair back out of my face and then trailed her finger down the bridge of my nose. She liked to touch people; I was used to this fondling. "You forget that the Sheikah are instinctually a very secretive race. He may not be telling you everything," she tittered softly, trying to lighten the air around us. "Besides, you didn't exactly jump out to say you love him. Why would he?"

"But--" I flushed. I would have to tell Zelda what had happened for her to understand. I shook my head against her shoulder, noting that her dress smelled faintly of daisies, and started mumbling my story. I gave her a quick summary of what happened and then told her of what I thought.

And again she tittered and repeated into my ear, "You don't know that. You don't know how Sheik feels. Don't put words into his mouth; I don't think he would like that very much."

Some birds cawed in the distance.

"We should go get that medicine that Impaz mentioned."

I nodded into her shoulder.

* * *

Zelda left, this time with a guard, and I was left alone in the house to meander on into my room. Impaz had reported after we had given her the medicine that Sheik had kept himself cooped up in his room all day while Zelda was there. Even thought the queen wasn't in the house, she said, Sheik didn't want to come out. She didn't completely understand his strong disliking for the queen, but she left it alone. She muttered that softly as she poured the medicine into a glass and drank it. But I knew his needed seclusion wasn't because of Zelda. I'm pretty sure he was still upset by her presence, but after venting to me I don't think he would feel the need to lock himself away from her. It was the kiss. I was sure of it. I was sure that Sheik had acted upon those false emotions that were running rampant in his mind and he regretted it.

I had stopped sleeping in Sheik's room for some time now, but sometimes I still subconsciously walked towards his hallway instead of my own. I could see the sun setting as I corrected my mistake and took myself down the other hallway.

Impaz wanted me to talk to him again, but I highly doubted that would help.

So, I pulled off my clothes, save for my lose undershorts, and climbed into bed. I didn't normally go to sleep early; I stayed up cleaning my equipment while Sheik and Impaz slept, but today I felt exhausted. I wanted nothing more for my head to hit the pillows and for me to fall into a deep sleep. I smiled ironically at the thought. After Sheik had woken from an eight year sleep, I suddenly wanted to fall into one. I couldn't handle this turmoil. I could take on beasts and twelve-foot Kings of Evil, but emotions—I was no good with those. I knew what I felt, but I didn't know how to approach other people with them, or how to handle the feeling of my own emotions being shot down by someone else's opinion.

My head hit the pillow and I let my hands peek up above the edge of the comforter. My fingers gripped the soft fabric and I sighed contently.

I was asleep for a good hour before I heard something or someone mucking around in my room. My room was small, it had one bed, one small desk, and a small set of drawers in it, and so it was easy for someone to bump into the pieces of furniture. And the furniture made a lot of noise when it happened. The desk would scratch against the wood floor and my equipment would shuffle against the top, and the drawers would squeak uncomfortably if you ran into them.

The sounds were obvious, and there was a harsh hiss that followed the bumps of the desk and possibly the person tripping over my boots. They caught themselves though, and I could hear the desk groan as whoever it was used it as support. I kept my eyes closed, but I was on high alert; my sword was in reach as it was the one weapon I kept near my bedside.

They stood still for a moment and then mutter some unfamiliar words. After that, the air around them seemed much more confident and I wanted to open my eyes to see who it was. They smelled familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

But when the person climbed onto the bed and their thin fingers brushed against my body under the comforter, I knew who it was.

Sheik.

I choked. What was he doing here? He should have been asleep by now, and why would he even want to see me?

He cursed softly in his native Sheikah tongue as he tried to climb over me. I tried not to gasp as I felt his body hover above me and I tried to keep my heart steady. I didn't know what he wasn't thinking, but it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair for me this time.

"I was scared."

My breath hitched but I managed to keep the sound to myself. I desperately wanted to open my eyes, to see his face hovering above mine just inches away. I could smell him—a deep oaken smell that wafted throughout the air. He smelled like the woods, and outdoorsy smell that was authentic and clean.

One hand lifted off the bed so it could brush back his bangs, but it soon found its spot back next to my shoulder. The bed squeaked in protest and he hesitated to continue whatever he was doing.

"It was weird, feeling Zelda's love so strongly."

I knew it. My eyebrows furrowed, but I'm sure it just looked like a reaction from a dream. Sheik hesitated again, nonetheless. I could tell from the air about him that he was awkward; he wasn't really sure what he was doing.

"I'm sorry. I just got so scared when I kissed you…" He trailed off to take a deep breath, as if he was planning what to say next. He reminded me of Impa, who thought of he words carefully. She and he, they always made their words meaningful—to the point.

"I kissed you and I didn't expect to get anything out of it," it was a very curt statement. "I thought they were just Zelda's emotions again. But somehow…. Through my sleep…" Sheik leaned down and I felt warmth spread over my lips.

He was kissing me, I thought slowly. My words drawled lazily in my mind as he tried to give him a better position on top of me. His arms bent down so his elbows touched the bed and his fingers grazed by my blonde locks. His long bangs tickled my cheeks and he leaned down.

Thin lips parted to take a small breath of air and he started to pull back but my arm wrapped around his neck and pulled him back down. He gasped when my fingers wrung through his dirty blonde hair and the night's shade of blue hid the blush that had formed across his and my own features.

My eyes open now, I kept him down and we were pushed together again. He relaxed in my arms I took his lower lip in mine, which he reacted to slowly. It was awkward, this first real kiss. Our noses bumped together and neither of us didn't really know which way to turn our heads so it could work. But it did, and I wouldn't exchange that moment for anything in the world.

Sheik parted his lips again and his tongue flickered out experimentally. I let him enter my mouth and I let his small tongue take over, pure uncontained bliss swelling throughout my body. My tongue touched his and he jolted in my arms but I kept to return the kiss. We were alone in this one moment as our noses bumped again and we tried to continue this one action of ourselves. We gave up our emotions to each other as our lips pushed together and the kiss became a little heated.

His fingers gripped the sheets beneath him and my other arm found a nice place against the small of his back. He pulled back reluctantly and stared me in the eyes. His normally crimson eyes seemed a little purple in this hue, I noted.

"I think I have fallen in love with you, stranger."

I stared up at him.

"Somehow, through my dreams--through my sleep, I have fallen so hard." He moved so his hand could touch my cheek. "I was scared when I realized that I wasn't feeling as Zelda did, but I was feeling my own emotions again. I've never… I haven't had the time to even think I could feel this way." He slid down so are bodies were flush against each other.

"I'm a very selfish person; I hate being ignored by you, and I hate the way you look at Zelda. I want you all for myself." Sheik let his fingers trail up and down my cheek in a tender way. "But not just in my sleep. Because I know my dreams are a lie."

I kissed him softly and then he shifted off me. I let him slip under the sheets and he curled around me. He didn't need any words to tell him that I was and had always been his. He didn't need any words to tell him just how much I loved him.

And with that in mind, we both fell into a blissful sleep with each other in our arms.


End file.
